Prince of Persia: Dark Destiny
by fallen angel overlord
Summary: Kaileena finds herself on the Island of Waters and during the course of this relatively short excurison she uncovers the way to defeat Azarael...well one of two ways there's only one option aside from the unthinkeable
1. The Rooftops of Babylon

**Prince Of Persia: Dark Destiny**

**Authors Note: Jafar, Darius and Nadina are my characters. Ask and maybe I'll loan them out. Any thoughts, questions or wishes are welcomed so long as they come with a constructive review. Flamers ignored, they bore me…if you don't like a story the best thing to do is not to review. Anyway I'm celebrating my proper finishing of the game with this. Anyone know what those 3 empty video slots are in the Video Gallery? I'm at a loss…**

**Also I am blocking from my memory the –err – episode – Kaileena and the Prince had on the boat. I think they make a good couple but that was just very random I suppose. Alos I've taken one or two liberties with Kaileena's character…right…that's my bit said.**

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**Chapter 1: The Docks of Babylon**

**Kaileena's long dark hair flowed behind her; it still fell partially over her right eye and was flicked at the ends in an attractive manner the Prince could not explain. She would be the perfect woman - save the fact she was so strong willed and passionate in her arguments. They were very alike.**

"**You can be a true shrew," The Prince muttered.**

"**You act surprised. I was the "Evil" Empress of Time" Kaileena said. They butted heads in a civil manner a great deal. The Prince had no idea she was so - sarcastic and - cynical. "After all, I was Evil because I killed people who tried to kill me - well excuse me for defending myself"**

**The Prince tightened his grip on the Water sword and bit back the temptation to remind her that she had also refused his offer of peace and gone gung-ho into a battle with him. It was the sword of water he had taken from the secret safe that had prevented a deadly rematch.**

"**Tell me about Babylon" she said at last. There was a tear in her voice, but Kaileena never cried… she made a rule of it apparently. **

"**It's beautiful," The Prince said. "The palace has gardens and baths and statues of great beauty. There is always music and dancing…"**

**Kaileena's eyes blanked as she stared into space. She shivered and leaned on the boats railing.**

"**Surely I amn't that boring?" the Prince laughed. Kaileena turned to face him; her eyes were cold and shocked. "What? What is it?"**

"**Look! You'll see for yourself in a few minutes" she exclaimed. The Prince stared. Dread gripped his heart as the pillars of smoke rose up, clotting the air with dark ash. The horizon was lit ablaze.**

"**NO!" he cried. "How can this be?"**

**Kaileena gazed out before her. "I saw the current happenings. This has been a long siege but it comes to a close as we speak… the palace is being attacked."**

"**But how? Why? My father's enemies were not many. The Maharajah was his only true foe and he did not seek war! And the Vizier never had a chance to betray the city!"**

"**It was not the Indian troops I saw," warned Kaileena. "They were Sand creatures…we must hurry now!" The Prince unlatched the sails and let the favourable wind speed them towards the coast.**

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**The ship in the port had a black sail with a large red sun pattern on it and a pentangle in the centre of the blazing sun. "I don't know that sail! It's not - oh no! Farzaol!" The Prince exclaimed as the boat came close to the docks.**

"**Who?" Kaileena exclaimed as he leapt overboard and she followed.**

"**Farzaol! The Pirate Farzaol. Captain of the Black Hornet…that is his ship… but how could he have Sand Creatures at his disposal?"**

**Kaileena examined the point of her Scorpion blade, the replacement for her lost swords. "It's impossible. The Sands of Time need to have spread somehow from my island but that's impossible, only Shahdee and myself could pass through water. None of the other creatures could do so without disincarnating"**

"**I don't understand! I don't understand! I DON'T UNDERSTAND," roared the Prince. He saw the creatures running towards him. His amulet glowed and with a roar of rage he attacked. He vaulted over his first opponent, hacked him in the back of the knees as he spun and sliced the head off the nearest one. They were pale creatures; sand composed their skin flawlessly… as if it were real flesh. They wore heavy turbans and dark red trousers with small shoes…the lack of armour was a disadvantage as the Prince sliced off the arm of one, taking his sword before spinning around and decapitating him.**

**Kaileena sensed the movement behind her; she didn't greet it, the one coming towards her held a javelin. She smashed an elbow into the face of the creature as it ran at her from behind then pivoted and kicked it off the pier into the water with a spinning kick. She grabbed the arm of the oncoming enemy and vaulted over him. She stabbed cleanly through his throat and stepped away as he turned to sand. "Another time maybe" she said.**

**The Prince stamped down on the creatures skull and it fell away. "I will kill them all!" he hissed.**

"**That's not very realistic," snorted Kaileena. She looked him up and down as he rounded on her furiously. "You will kill better with focus," she snapped. The Prince tensed, an inner battle raging- then he sheathed his blade.**

"**We must find my father," he said.**

"**Perhaps avoiding the streets would be best?" suggested Kaileena as she pulled him down an alley, away from the patrolling monsters. **

"**The rooftops" The Prince whispered. He ran up a wall and sprang backwards, rebounding upwards followed closely by the gazelle leap so of Kaileena. He scanned the rooftops. They were empty - but there was movement of sand. "We're not alone up here. We have to hurry - keep up. All is not well…"**

"**What a perceptive Prince you are" Kaileena sighed as she glanced at the nearby sand man. "Let's move" she leapt the gap and with a swift swing of her blade decapitated the monster. The Prince followed her closely. "Where should we go?" Kaileena asked as they landed on a low bridge.**

"**The Naval Academy…my father would have been there for planning if Farzaol was a foe. It's where his ships sail from to battle!"**

"**Let's hurry then," said Kaileena. They were off again, racing along rooftops, hurrying over narrow beams. Swinging on poles, bouncing off tents. There was a clash of blades above them and a Naval Academy Sailor was flung to his death. A man leapt off the roof and landed on a building nearby.**

"**Who was that?" gasped the Prince. **

"**Probably not a friend if he killed a human" Kaileena muttered. She pressed her back to a wall and moved along the ledge in her heeled boots. "Where is the Academy now?"**

"**A few rooftops East of here" The Prince said, pointing.**

"**Away we go" she smiled… they climbed the window ledges and reached the roof of the building. "DOWN!" Kaileena exclaimed as she pushed the Prince away… the axe hit the wall. Standing on a higher balcony parapet was a young man. His sallow skin and longish dark hair were like siblings to the dusk. His cool blue eyes watched the Prince with some amusement. He wore baggy white trousers tucked into black boots, a red sash and dark blue and red coat that was short around the ribs but had wide sleeves and heavy shoulder pads. He wore a piece of beaded and braided leather around his neck and forehead…he pulled a hook like scythe-sword from across his back. **

"**Now whom do we have here?" he mused. "Certainly not sand creatures. And women aren't part of the navy…who can you be?" he mused. He flipped his feet over his head and landed before them. "Perhaps the people I've been sent to deal with?"**

**Kaileena watched him carefully. The Prince tensed for battle...**

**"My name is Darius," the man said. "Son of Farzaol. Prince of Pirates!"**

**"And the price of piracy in Persia is decapitation!" snarled the Prince. He charged forwards. His amulet glowed as his blade met with the scythe sword and sent a shower of sparks into the air. Kaileena sensed movement behind her; she spun and kicked out sending the sand creature flying.**

**"What an interesting occurrence" mused a woman. She was dressed in poison green and silver. Heavy black eyeliner covered her pale skin and she carried two slender blades with horizontal grips as opposed to sword handles. "My name is Nadina - I've been hoping you'd make it to Babylon..."**

**"Stand aside" Kaileena snapped. "You don't know who you're dealing with"**

**"We'll see about that Empress!" Nadina attacked her blades met with the sword Kaileena had stolen and her Scorpion blade. Kaileena pivoted and kicked Nadina in the stomach with such force she was sent through a balcony window. The woman flipped to her feet and leapt into a whirling spin as she charged. The blades met again with a clash and Kaileena was knocked off balance. Nadina laughed.**

**"It's hopeless, feel the despair Empress you cannot win against it. You cannot win against ME!" Nadina performed a complicated spin and slash that knocked Kaileena's blades up. The two women swung at each other again... the blades clashed and went shooting away.**

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**The Prince vaulted over Darius who blocked the strike and kicked the secondary weapon from the Prince's hand and pulled something from his belt... a dagger hissed through the air. The Prince knocked the scythe sword off to one side and managed to block the other blade. There was a blaze of light and for a moment the air between them became solid as a rock before shoving them apart. The Prince leapt up. Darius pointed the blade at him...**

**"It can't be!" the Prince gasped. "He possesses THE DAGGER OF TIME!" with great urgency he hurled himself at Darius. His amulet glowed and he kicked out, sending Darius falling backwards so he could leap into a deadly flip at the Pirate.**

**Darius blocked the blade. "Too bad" he mocked and slashed the Prince across the throat.**

**Darius blocked the blade. "Too bad" he mocked and slashed at the Prince who leaned away in time. Darius' blade met with the Prince's again. They pressed in on one another. "You're a great swordsman," grunted the prince**

**"Admit defeat?" hissed Darius**

**"Not TODAY!" The Prince kicked Darius in the ribs then delivered two more kicks across his face and lunged, stabbing Darius through the chest.**

**"Not TODAY!" The Prince kicked Darius in the Ribs then delivered another two kicks. They were both blocked expertly. **

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**Nadina charged forwards. Kaileena slowed time, leapt forwards and spin in the air, slashing the woman across the torso. The sands had affected her of course, what would kill most did not kill her. She lashed a kick into Kaileena and struck the remaining sword from her hands. "Ta-Ta" Nadina shrieked as she kicked Kaileena off balance and over the balcony, grabbing her long dark hair at the last second and rearing her blade back. "You're no challenge" Nadina sneered. "Perhaps it's selfish of me - however- to kill you when another would much rather decapitate you!"**

**The spinning blade whirled in the air straight for Kaileena. She swung - there was an unpleasant hiss as hit whirred close...Kaileena saw it bounce off a wall, the three sharply curved blades glinting from the hoop they clung to with its leather handle in the middle...it was - familiar... It came at her again and she struck Nadina in the arm. The woman's grip weakened and the blade sliced through Kaileena's hair. **

**Nadina gave a shriek of rage as Kaileena caught a pole and swung on it, launching herself onto a rooftop and landing in a crouch. "We will fight again WENCH" screamed Nadina. "The despair and anguish will reclaim your soul and then I will cut out your heart and feed it to ravenous wolves who will devour it only after they have torn it to shreds."**

**"Fabulous monologue" Kaileena muttered. There was a hiss and she ducked as her Scorpion sword swung through the air and imbedded itself in a pillar. She glanced in the direction it had come but all she saw was the movement of a curtain.**

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**The Prince ducked the Dagger of Time and blocked the Scythe sword. He slowed time and delivered a furious strike combination. The man bled but the sands protected his body, just as they did the princes...anyone who was not turned to a Sand Creature by the sands became something else. It was a balance of the scales; they were given a chance to fight.**

**Darius was an incredible fighter. His grace and style matched the Prince's and he was a cut above the average warrior.**

**"You know - I respect you" Darius grunted through gritted teeth.**

**"I'm flattered," snarled the Prince as they locked blades again. He dodged a deadly downward hack and slashed across Darius' leg as he spun aside. **

**"Doesn't mean I won't kill you" Darius sneered.**

**The Prince felt the burning heat of the flames of Persia rising. He knew he had to hurry to the Academy. "I have no time for this!" he exclaimed as he blocked the slash of the blade and vaulted backwards off the building, bouncing on the tented roof of a stall below to crash backwards through a second story window on the building opposite. Darius watched for a moment.**

**"The man has style" he smirked.**

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**Kaileena looked at the Prince as he walked over to her place on a rooftop overlooking the burning city. "I wondered where you had gotten to"**

**"I took a detour," he said. "Did you do something with your hair?"**

**"I stopped for a haircut of course," she snorted with a roll of her eyes. "And you? The scenic route, I presume. I expected better of you" she sighed and turned away. "I assume that is the naval academy" she said, pointing to the white building with the huge gates covering a bay full of ships...a black ship with red sails was in the bay. The sail had an insignia on it; a snake entwined around two scimitars. **

**"I don't recognize that one," murmured the Prince.**

**Kaileena shuddered and felt a vision of the future run towards her it struck in a jumble of things. "We must move!" she exclaimed. **

**"Too late" a voice sneered. They whirled around. A group of the shirtless turban wearing sand men leapt from a rooftop, then came troops in blue armour with white turbans and sashes brandishing sharp axes and swords. The speaker dropped from the roof. **

**His scimitar was exceptionally large and heavy looking, engraved with gold and the handle set with sapphires. He wore dark purple robes under a green over robe that had a white snake patterned on it. His purple turban was held with a large dark green gem and his dark face was lined with scars.**

**"Jafar!" exclaimed the Prince. **

**"The Prince!" smirked the man, stroking his thin black beard. "What a surprise...killing you will be a true pleasure!"**

**"You presume a great deal," Kaileena said.**

**"What a charming lady...perhaps I will keep you for my own private harem!"**

**"Now I want to kill him so much more" Kaileena spat as she raised her blade. **

**Jafar laughed. "The King wants you dead" he smiled.**

**"My father?"**

**"Alas no" Jafar sighed. "I'm afraid he is not long for this world...we've broken through his every defence - I did help from the other side of the gate of course...but that's a minor detail"**

**"You betrayed my father!" The Prince snarled. "I will kill you myself!"**

**"I trained you Prince...I can kill you!" Jafar snarled. Kaileena slowed time as Jafar spun. The Prince dodged as Kaileena leapt and kicked the man away. His soldiers advanced as time began again. Kaileena blocked a blade and slashed the owner clean in two. His sands rushed into her body.**

**How the sands her minions had been made of had escaped from the island she didn't know. But they had spread like wildfire...and it was her responsibility to stop them.**

**Jafar blocked the Prince's every attack and punched the Prince across the rooftop. He caught the boy by the throat, lifted him up and head butted him so hard the Prince's teeth rattled. "Neophyte of the blade now and forever" Jafar sneered. "You can't defeat me! I have been touched by the sands!" He thrust out his hand and a burst of golden sand threw the Prince off the building. He dug the water sword into the parapet and managed to swing back up.**

**"I am not a child anymore!" snapped the Prince.**

**"So say you!" Jafar charged again. He left taunting nicks and scratches on the Prince's arms while he blocked every attack. "You can't even land a hit on me!"**

**The Prince gave a growl of rage - and went into Frenzy. His rage had started his powers off, the powers - on their own, unbidden. He spun and slashed and hacked away...Jafar blocked a multitude of blows...then a slash caught him across the chest. He stumbled away as the Prince came from his frenzy.**

**"Foolish boy" he hissed. "You've angered me now..." he sprinted forwards and ducked a slash. "Now my King will deal with you" The blow struck the Prince across the back of the head and he collapsed, his blade held tightly. **

**Kaileena cried out...and everything went dark...**

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**To Be Continued in the next Chapter: The Persian Naval Academy**

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	2. The Persian Naval Academy

**Prince of Persia: Dark Destiny**

**  
_Saddened Soul: I did what now? (Grabs own chainsaw for defence) Well you did inspire me to dust this baby off from the depths of the dreaded Planning Stages Grave_**

**_ATMac05: I don't think the amulet was, because I was sure he was wearing it in the ending movie. I could be wrong anyway. Secondly it's believable; see there were a good few troops but not an army and also they knew EXACTLY where the Prince was. An army wouldn't be there, but a huge group of troops FROM an army would. I just didn't make that clear I guess._**

**_Jay Are Vee: I like that fic. Don't try and slate it with me. That fic's got a plotline suited for the next game. I like that fic. If you don't like it…why are you reviewing it? I certainly hope you're not a flamer who flames without knowing what he's flaming…that's icky business. But thanks, I will keep it up and the support is appreciated_**

**_Lady Discord: Well I decided to give Kaileena a little more of a sarcastic curl. Warn me if I lose her too much. Darius isn't a villain though; he's actually a lot like the prince only less ethical and I tiny bit of a Sinbad character …Nadina on the other hand is pure unadulterated grade-A evil. They're different. Question: Would you trust Darius? Answer after reading this. As for the empty slots: I think I need to finish both endings. I amn't sure. Then again I can't remember what Toughness I played on. Pretty sure it was normal, but whatever. I suppose that's right but people who flame without reason are what annoy me. If you dislike the story and tell me why then I just shrug it off. Flame me for no reason and I will poke fun endlessly in my next update. That's how I work_**

**Chapter 2: The Naval Academy of Babylon**

**The Prince groaned and sat up. Kaileena was beside him, she seemed angry. "What? What is it?" he croaked.**

"**You'll see," she muttered. Two sand guards stood at the door, they were the shirtless kind, the inexperienced soldiers…they were leering at Kaileena's chest. "Its bad enough I'm in this cell but MUST they treat me like a theatrical performance?"**

"**Can you blame them?" a smooth voice asked. Darius was leaning against the wall nearby. "Its not like you cover up that well…"**

"**Come closer and say that," Kaileena said sweetly. "And then I'll hit you so hard your jaw will spin!"**

**Darius laughed. "Take them to the War room!" he snapped. The leather-armoured soldiers with the white turbans and sashes flooded the cell and dragged them away. Kaileena looked to the Prince who just looked Grim.**

**The heavy wooden elevator lifted them to the upper floors. Kaileena looked at the Dagger on Darius' belt. "Admiring it? It works miracles against being turned into monsters," he said with a shrug.**

"**You have no idea what that dagger can do" warned Kaileena**

"**It can reverse time…that's the part I like about it. I look better without the gaping wounds of death" he shrugged.**

**The Prince looked at the group of armed sand soldiers around him. He could -Feel- the water sword nearby. But it was out of reach to him. He resigned himself to the captured state he was in.**

**The heavy doors of the war room were pulled open by the winches manned inside the room by two sand creatures. The room was cylindrical with a large flat marble table that showed the seas and islands out before his father's kingdom. Torches lit the room all around, above was a platform with several arches leading onto it and some ladders bringing them to the ground.**

**Darius looked nervous. Jafar was in the corner sharpening his sword and smirking darkly. It was definitely unnerving. Or if you prefer: Enraging.**

"**Well at long last – I have been so very excited by the prospect of your visits" chuckled the voice darkly. "Kaileena – well I assume the Empress is dead if you are here…and the Prince of Persia…I amn't so surprised, you are the one I longed to meet…" the hooded figure wore the crown. **

**The primal rage within the Prince rose like a swelling river in a monsoon. He tried to break his chains but it was no good. He glanced at the Dagger in Darius' belt…the pirate caught his glance and gave a warning glare.**

"**Darius – bring in the King" the shadowy being said. He walked forwards; his armour was black with twists of rune-imprinted silver all over them – the tattered cloak trailed along behind him like a shadow. His glowing eyes burned red beneath the hood he wore. He reached up, short, curved blades popped out of the backs of his gloves and twisted; spiked metal ropes whirled from his forearm to coil around his fists.**

**Kaileena watched cautiously as the blades trailed close to the Prince's face. She glanced around. Nadina had appeared from the shadows, she'd not been leaning against the statue of the winged lion a moment ago…she watched, her green face paint near her eyes was glowing a little as she glanced at Kaileena, gloating off her despair.**

**Empty eyes of the Sand-possessed students, the shirtless, turbaned creatures they'd encountered, and city soldiers who wore blue leered down on them as they waited.**

"**I am King of Persia now" the being of shadow said as he turned away. "And you are nothing but a fool. I intend to kill you soon, but not yet. For now I must regrettably kill Kaileena to exercise my point" he reached out and a sword gathered in his hand. It was a curved blade made out of dark purple glass and a black frame holding it in place that seemed to be made of black wood…gnarled by ages.**

**He walked forwards. "Know the one that killed you, servant of the empress, his name was Azarael, Master of Destiny!"**

"**Well that makes me feel so much better" spat Kaileena.**

**He raised the sword but hesitated. Darius entered; behind him two blue clad guards dragged the once king Shahraman in chains. He was drained and pale, the captivity had taken its toll on him.**

"**Father!" exclaimed the Prince.**

"**My son!" Shahraman gasped. "He seized power – you should have fled!"**

"**He should have – but he didn't," laughed Nadina as she watched from the corner… Azarael walked towards the king and with a swift motion stabbed him through the heart.**

"**Father!"**

"**Know my power wretch" growled Azarael. "I am more then you will ever be! You can't win; you can only wait to die! And watch, all that is yours is rightfully mine – this kingdom and the power…you are nothing! I am everything and death awaits all you love!"**

"**No!" the Prince snarled. He struggled.**

"**Darius, remember that failure will not be tolerated. Take him away and then burn the body, I don't want the old man to remain anywhere in this city, burn all records of him."**

"**Yes" murmured Darius. **

**The Prince burst out of the grasp of the sand creatures. He vaulted backwards over one and pulled its sword from its hip before hacking its head off its shoulders. He ran the other through and kicked one of the two holding Kaileena off balance.**

**He glanced at Azarael who had turned away and lunged. Azarael blocked the slash without even thinking. "How do you think I found you little boy?" he hissed. "I can see everything you do, every move you make…as you think of it…you can't defeat me…" he pivoted and kicked in precisely the right place to break the prince's guard and send him shooting away. "**

**Kaileena ducked as Darius leapt at her. She spun and kicked his legs from under him…**

**She spun and kicked his legs from under him, but he jumped.**

"**I have sincere déjà vu" she said and punched him in the jaw. She grabbed his hand, catching his thumb with her own and preventing him reaching the button. She wrapped her arm around his as he tried to move his sword; she held his arm rigid her arm pushing the right places to keep the elbow from bending and holding his limb rigid. "I have a great dislike for Déjà vu" she head butted him, then again and rammed a knee into his groin.**

"**That's cruel" he shrilled as he buckled in her arms. She twisted him over and kicked him in the small of the back. He leaned on the wall for a moment. A moment too much. Kaileena's eyes glowed as the whispering voices and fleeting visions crossed her eyes…**

"**You fool!" roared Azarael as Kaileena leapt upwards and swung onto a platform, she punched aside a sand apprentice, his bare chest gave no resistance as she grabbed his sword and speared him with it.**

**Kaileena ran along the walkway and shoved a sand apprentice onto a sharp piece of broken wood. "I have to say," she said as she pulled down on the lever. "That was not too bad" nearby a door pulled open revealing a deep shaft of darkness.**

**Azarael struck Darius aside and kicked the Prince away. "Nadina!" he snapped. "Punish Darius!"**

**Nadina laughed and reached into a belt pouch. She hurled a handful of purple sand into the flames of a brazier. The blaze rose up in a twist of green and purple. Darius gave a cry of rage…through the open window a similar flame lit up on a tower. But this one had the visible shadow of a man struggling in it. The screams were blood curdling.**

"**No!" Darius cried. The Prince attacked and landed his first successful slash on Azarael. It sealed instantly and the Prince was knocked backwards in surprise. Azarael lunged forwards and slashed with a laugh. He then screamed in shock as his sword slammed into the Prince…then with some incredible force was shoved right back out – the Prince touched his stomach - - it was unscathed. "How?" he whispered.**

**Darius slashed Azarael, the grey stone seized his flesh and with a spinning kick Darius knocked the man away. Nadina gave a shriek of rage and charged Darius…A heavy vase crashed down on her and knocked her off balance. Kaileena vaulted over the railings and landed beside the Prince. "Are you all right?"**

"**I – Think so" he said slowly as he searched his fingers for blood.**

**Darius pivoted and kicked a guard away. "Down the shaft!" he exclaimed. "We have to get out of here!" he shouted.**

"**Why should we trust you!" snarled the Prince as Azarael stormed towards him. Kaileena looked at Darius, her eyes glowed with swirling golden sands. **

"**I trust him. Let's go," she said. The Prince was reluctant. Kaileena gave an exasperated snarl as she grabbed his wrist and shoved him into the shaft before nodding at Darius who leapt next. She cast a glance back at Azarael. He raised his blade – and hesitated. Kaileena hurled herself down the shaft.**

**The fall was unspectacular yet at the same time thrilling. The Prince splashed heavily into the deep water and swam to the edge of the water. He glanced over his shoulder, from the dark black pipe he had fallen through came Darius who splashed into the semicircular pool. There was a solid grimy black brickwork wall behind it and the cavern framed the pool with ancient cracked grey tiles. Darius pulled himself out of the water.**

"**That was fun!" he said. "Should we do it again?"**

**Kaileena splashed into the water. She surfaced, climbing a narrow line of steps out of the pool, her body dripping with water. "That was bracing," she said as she pushed her hair out of her face. "Where are we?"**

"**The Catacombs" stated the Prince and Darius together.**

"**Babylon was built with a network of underground chambers that were once used of prisons for slaves in the early days of the building, they've been empty for years" the Prince said. He then turned on Darius. The slowing of time was in unison. In short the world became hazy but neither Darius nor the Prince slowed down.**

**The swords clashed. "Why did you help us?"**

"**I want to" shrugged Darius. The Prince and he had blades locked close to each other's faces. "Azarael killed the man who raised me, the man he was holding and using to control me because he can't take my dagger." They shoved harder at one another. "The man he burned at the stake was my father, you know what it is to lose a father – I only wanted to help mine!"**

"**Your father was a pirate!"**

"**And what was the difference in my fathers raids and battles that differed from your own father's?"**

**The Prince flinched and they shoved away. Kaileena shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Both of you stop!" she exclaimed. "We have to hurry, no doubt the creature is already making plans to slay us"**

"**My ship is docked in the Naval bay," said Darius. "We can escape that way," he pointed through the old arch. "Azarael came to this place in a warship, he captured my father and enslaved my crew, under his protection they did not change into sand creatures so long as they remain on my boat. He knew every defence on the walls and broke through easily"**

"**Impossible! No one knows every defence save myself, my father and my brothers!" the Prince snapped.**

"**He did" Darius said with a simple shrug. "Every last one"**

"**Jafar could have found them…" The Prince murmured. "We have to go" he narrowed his eyes at Darius but Kaileena put a hand on his shoulder. **

"**He's sincere I read his soul – he is sincere" Kaileena said.**

"**You can do that?" asked Darius.**

"**Yes" she shrugged. "Come, we have to go…"**

**The Prince glared at Darius but walked alongside Kaileena towards the cracked arch.**

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**Azarael glared at the shaft. "Nadina!" he hissed.**

"**Yes?" the beautiful creature asked as she walked towards him. "What can I do for you my lord?"**

"**Take some of the Sand Creatures, go and find them in the catacombs" growled the being. "Jafar will take station at the Academy Bay"**

"**They won't get past me," purred Nadina as she drew her three pronged blades, long fingers wrapping around the leather handles that were connected to the golden crescent the blades were fused to.**

**On the crescent and blades glowed green runes. Nadina turned and walked into the shadows – vanishing.**

**_---------TBC---------_**

**_Next Chapter: A familiar face is in the Catacombs, which is littered with trouble and traps. Thoughts, comments and ideas welcome in reviews._**


	3. The Catacombs of Babylon

**Prince of Persia: Dark Destiny**

**_Chapter 3: The Catacombs of Babylon_**

**The Prince didn't trust Darius, he couldn't afford to trust the pirate - and yet he had no choice. Darius was offering them a way to escape by using his boat that was protected from the sands by special wards.**

**The winding corridor plunged into the darkness, lit only by the red light of torches. A dripping noise was in their ears.**

"**We have to continue in this direction" Darius explained. "Once we reach the bay my ship can get us out of here and away from this place. It's the fastest on the seven seas!"**

"**I hope so," Kaileena muttered. "We'll need to be gone fast… Azarael - he isn't…there's something wrong with him. He isn't part of time - yet he's integrated into it deeper then he should. I sense he both exists and doesn't at the same time".**

**Darius gave her A Look. She ignored him. Her dress was slightly tattered now and she looked rather irate, her black hair now cut off at shoulder hight in a jagged curl. The strings on her bodice were beginning to stress. The Prince shook the thoughts of her alluring beauty from his mind.**

**Just as well he did. The hissing monster lurched from the darkness with a snarl. Darius whirled and slashed it back. The Prince performed a back flip and landed in a fighting stance. He charged.**

**It had been a prisoner once, dressed in tattered rags with the remnants of a beard on its face, it was gaunt and thin…barely fed - that made it insane with hunger as it had been before the sands had taken it.**

**From the cages came the creatures, unlike the ones from the Palace of Azad these did not move in blurs of motion, nor did they come from above and about as they had on Kaileena's island. They formed from the sand clouds with a twisted blackness in them. But they moved at human speed - some had already been formed before that. It seemed they had tried to devour each other…**

**Kaileena swivelled and kicked on aside before slashing it open. The sands whirled around her and entered her ruby amulet in a flash of gold. She slowed down time and spun, slashing open two enemies as the freeze ended.**

**Darius ran up a wall and flipped off it into a downwards hack that slashed in two his opponent. He pivoted and sliced the head off a sand creature before stabbing his dagger into its chest. There was a click and the blade filled up. "Thank you" he smirked and slashed another monster with the blade, turning it grey and leaving it in a flip off into the air. He flipped up onto it's chest slamming it down as he rammed the blade into its chest, straight down.**

**It exploded into black and gold specks.**

**The Prince's blades sliced monsters down, gathering them into his amulet effectively and without a pause. He ducked the swinging arms of a prisoner and kicked it down. He was amazed that it couldn't get back up, instead it rolled over and crawled along the ground trying to bite and grab his legs. With a stamp he ended its existence.**

"**These sand creatures are unlike others, a cross between those touched by the sands of time and the sands of the empress" Kaileena said. "I don't understand how they came into existence..."**

**"He opened a bottle" responded Darius he leapt into the air, spiralled around and slammed both feet into the face of a monster giving him amble time to stab down with his dagger and gather the sands. The trio's movements were rapid and effective, they slowed down time and hacked and slashed the enemies gathering the black liquid and gold sands the monsters turned into in their amulets and daggers.**

**"And that is that" Kaileena said as she holstered her blade. "Come on, we have to hurry" she added. They rushed down the hall. Four blades dropped fromt he ceiling, thin lines from the floor to the roof that slid forwards and scythed the air before retracting.**

**"I can't make it between those" The Prince said. **

**"Never send a man to do a woman's job" Kaileena sighed. She cartwheeled forwards between the blades and nimbly stayed ahead of them as they moved forwards. She ended her cartwheel smoothly on the button, the blades slid back into the ceiling. "Now we can move on perhaps?"**

**"Women" Darius muttered.**

**"Indeed" sighed the Prince. Kaileena was faster on her feet then Darius and the Prince, she was also equally as agile, matching their wall runs and flips - however she was unable to lift heavy gates like the men her strength was great but not enough to match the heavy lifting...such as was proven when they came to the Great Tower**

**"These crates must be moved into position on the buttons" Kaileena muttered. "But those gates prevent us from doing so". The dungeon area was a steep spiral upwards, however the staircase was at the very bottom of a deep dark pool which was filled with sharks that spread the sands as they swam about. **

**"We have to raise the steps" nodded The Prince. Kaileena looked up, there was a broken staircase nearby. "There" she pointed to a lever. "If you give me a boost I can make it up there and pull that lever"**

**"How do you know what it will do?" asked Darius with a raised eyebrow**

**"Only one way to find out" responded Kaileena. The Prince took his position near the wall and Kaileena ran at him, he gave her a boost and she soared up onto the metal platform. "One moment" she shouted back as she grabbed the lever with both hands and pushed down with all her might, the lever resisted but eventually it creaked into place.**

**Nearby a grill opened and Darius rushed over to it. Inside the small cell was a box, Darius pulled it across the room and pushed it against the button on the wall. "There, one button pressed" he shouted with a laugh. "Can we continue?"**

**The Prince nodded, the button had opened another grill in the wall revealing a button. "Are there any more crates?" he shouted. Kaileena helpfully pushed one from her platform so it landed near him. "I imagine that was meant to land there"**

**"Whatever keeps you on your toes Prince" she laughed musically.**

**The Prince shoved the crate onto the switch on the floor. This time a door near Kaileena opened. "I'll get this one" she shouted as she entered the small room. There was a hole in the wall and a dead body nearby. The Prisoner Sand Creature hadn't noticed her. **

**She sliced its head off as she crept up behind it. **

**There was a switch in the wall but when she went to move the heavy stone block she found she couldn't. With a curse she looked through the hole in the wall. Sharks swam in the flooded chamber below but fallen columns made a path across for her. **

**"Kaileena?" shouted the Prince. The stench of death hung in the air of the chamber and the magic of the sands crackled with a new heat around him. He was avoiding having to speak to Darius. The young pirate was examining the dagger of time closely.**

**"Hello Prince" Kaileena called. The Prince rushed to the grating in the wall. Where he found Kaileena, standing on a fallen pillar in a flooded room with her arms akimbo. "There's a switch up there but the only moveable block is imoveable to me. There's a lever in this room I want to see what will happen if I pull it."**

**"Be careful" warned the Prince. Kaileena laughed and leapt onto another pillar and made her way across the chamber on the columns. The sharks snapped at her below but to no avail.**

**"She's quite something" mused Darius as Kaileena reached the platform and ascended to the lever on the broken blocks from the roof. "Where did you meet her?"**

**"On my travels" the Prince grunted. "How did you meet Azarael?"**

**Darius flinched. "He found my father in the Vagabonds Cove, a Den for pirates, offered him power and immortality if he helped him. So he hired my fatehr and by extension me...that was when he saw the dagger and flew into a rage. This was after the invasion - I realized he was mad long before but he had Nadina drag my father away and Jafar tortured him. They decided that since every time the touched the dagger lightening hurt them they would make me as much a tool as it was...and I couldn't refuse or my father would die" Darius turned away. "Think what you wish of me, I don't care".**

**The Prince watched Darius and then looked back to Kaileena. The lever had drained the water from the room, she dropped down and finished off the flapping sand creatures. Their sand-bleeding grey bodies thrashed about hopelessly until the Empress finished them.**

**She turned the lever in the middle of the hall 360 degrees and a the gates opened allowing the Prince and the Pirate to meet the Empress in the room. They leapt up the steps and Darius easily pushed the stone block onto the switch. There was a loud splash as torrents of water fell off the steps and allowed them to reach the darkness. Two torches lit up on either side of a pair of doors.**

**"We fell for miles" Darius mused as they climbed the stone steps, killing the sharks unfortunate enough to have been lifted by the steps. "Who knows how far we are from the surface..."**

**Kaileena touched her forehead as golden sands swirled in her pupils. "Not far" she murmured. "We're nearly at a great room of suffering" she whispered. Darius looked at her, she opened her eyes, they were normal once more. "Yes?"**

**"What happened there?"**

**"It is none of your concern" she stated as she strode past him. The doors ground open as the Prince and Darius pushed with Kaileena. What met their eyes was beyond belief.**

**A forest of crosses with corpses mounted on it, men and women of all shapes and sizes. All dressed in aristocratic garb from various regions of the Kings Kingdom. "By the Timeline" whispered Kaileena. "This is Barbaric" there were some stakes with burnt bodies in smouldering stacks of wood lining the walls... in the forest of crosses there was nothing but dark light from hanging baskets of flame and the dim embers of the pyres.**

**Shuddering the Prince walked down the neat rows with the travelling allies following him. Then his eyes bulged, his breath froze in his lungs along with his blood. Hanging on a cross set in a stone altar decorated by dead and diseased flowers was a beautiful young woman.**

**"Farah" he whispered. "No...it can't be"**

**He rushed forwards, the world spinning as he staggered up the steps and climbed the platform before the cross. His blades slashed the ropes away and he took her lithe body in his arms. "Farah?"**

**Kaileena hurried over to meet him as he descended the steps. She touched Farah's face. "She has not yet been severed" she said. "She is alive". The relief in the Prince's body was a burst of life and then Doubt crept in as he heard the cackle of laughter. **

**In the poisonous greem robes she wore, brandishing her three pronged swords, Nadina appeared. Her green face paint glowed as she walked towards them. "Do you like the Princess' floral arrangement? I did it myself, for you to find her...I foretold your return and found her - all for you... beautiful is it not? That you should find her and die before she does. You can't defeat us Prince...it's futile"**

**The words were sharp and true, rending the bodies of the heroes...Darius readied his blades. Nadina laughed and in a blur of green she was standing to their left. "I'm more powerful then all of you put together" she spat. She snapped her fingers and the soldiers materialized around her in blasts of sand and black liquid. "Kill them!" she shrieked.**

**The soldiers surged forwards. The Prince placed Farah gently on the altar and in a spinning move slashed the head off a monster and grabbed its axe. He spun and hurled it at the head of another, catching it in the neck and severing it from it's body.**

**Kaileena flipped over the swords of a guard and landed behind it, she slashed her sword through its back and then spun around, stabbing it between the shoulder blades with its own sword.**

**Darius kicked a monster away and flipped backwards, twisting to slash the next attacker in two with his blade. **

**They fought and fought but there were eternally monsters surging forwards. Nadina laughed and walked forwards. "It's futile, existence is a realm of failure for you! NOW DIE" her blade swung at the Prince but Kaileena swung her blade out and blocked it. The women stared at each other...then attacked, blades flashing and clashing. Nadina went on the offensive, Kaileena backflipped and rolled to avoid the strikes trying to block but was unsure of her best manner of assault.**

**With a shriek of laughter Nadina kicked Kaileena into the altar. "You are nothing Kaileena, you are simply an hourglass for what we want released... die for us Kaileena"**

**The heavy vase of flowers shattered over Nadina's head. Kaileena looked up. Farah was leaning on the side of the altar. Nadina's focus on Kaileena had failed to register Farah sitting up slowly and grabbing the vase of flowers near her head. Kaileena vaulted to her feet.**

**"Who are you?" Farah gasped in a weak voice**

**"The Spirit of Good Hope" snorted Kaileena. She helped Farah off the altar as Darius and The Prince were pushed back by enemies. "We have to get out of here!" Darius exclaimed.**

**"There's a well in the next room behind us" Farah said. "It's attached to an under ground river..."**

**"The underground river leads to the bay" Darius nodded. "Hurry!"**

**"Who are you people?" Farah murmured.**

**"I am the Prince of Persia and this is Kaileena my companion in travels and..."**

**"Darius Prince of Thieves" grinned the pirate. "The greatest acrobat and swordsman on the seven seas"**

**"And braggard" Kaileena snorted as she slowed time against her enemies. "Me must go!" she paused as she noticed Farah being unaffected by the slow time. **

**Farah wore her gold jewelery and the (now tattered) red outfit the Prince remembered but not her amulet...instead she wore a golden crown with a red gem wrapped in golden lattice on her forehead, dangling diamons in gold down on her brow. **

**"The Crown of Time belonged to my mother" Farah said. "It warned me of the sand creatures coming, they cannot touch water we must get to the old well beyond here where I sense water flowing...I'm not strong enough to run..." her body was shaking fromt he sheer fatigue brought on by feigning strength.**

**The Prince nodded and swept the girl up in his arms as they entered the room with the huge well in it. The sand monsters and Nadina were storming towards them. "We have to get out of here" re-iterated Darius. "Really, we do!" Farah nodded in agreement and pointed towards the huge doors beyond them. They ran towards the well as Nadina burst through the doors in a blur of speed. **

**"Not so fast!" she shrieked as she raised her hands, the black sands swirled around her. Darius leapt into the well first. The Prince dropped Farah in, she shrieked in surprise but splashed into the water...he spun around ----and was mesmerized by the shifting black sands around Nadina.**

**"This is no time for trivialities" whispered Kaileena beside his ear. he turned around, forcing his body to move as the black tornado close in on them with Nadina at the core. The sands razed the air over their heads as he was carried away in Kaileena's green eyes...the slap of the water awoke him. Over head Nadina screamed in frustration as her prey was swept away.**

**Out into the bay of dark, lifeless ships, where on estood illuminated by the moonlight...the ship of Darius. Their escape from Babylon the place he'd spent so much time trying to return to.**

**TBC**

_Thanks to my reviewers._

_Now some points:_

_I saw the full ending on which my story was based: The Dahaka only takes the Amulet from the Prince when you DON'T kill it. I killed it, it died and I kept the amulet and Kaileena lived. _

_I'm a master at sarcasm just so you know but the 'joke' tag to any line doesn't mean its funny. I'm not talking about this any further I liked the compliment I hated the joke-slating it was irrelevant to me and just annoyed me...I was annoyed but then I got bored and decided to play Sands of Time and vent my frustrations on The Geezer...I mean Vizier! Vizier! I Meant The VIZIER...okay maybe not..._

_NEXT CHAPTER: The Naval Bay. Kaileena points the group in the right direction as they embark on their adventure to destroy the Undefeatable Foe. Something that exists both in and beyond time. Azarael. All will be revealed soon...and not in a pretty manner._


	4. The Naval Docks

_Prince of Persia: Dark Destiny_

**Chapter 4: The Naval Docks and Open Sea**

The briny water doused Farah, The Prince, Kaileena and Darius in turn. They surfaced, gasping and disorientated. Nadina's shrieks of rage were now distant echoes but the chilling power she possessed still echoed in their chests. She was too powerful, the despair was overpowering…

"There is my ship" Darius exclaimed as he pointed to the large vessel with the red sails. "It's the fastest on the seas! It won't fail us!"

"I hope you're right" Kaileena muttered as she swam towards a nearby platform. "We can't let ourselves be caught – otherwise Azarael and his monstrosities will be free. Our powers are all that stands in the way of his plan for world domination or destruction". She squeezed water out of her clothes. "I hope they aren't sand" she added.

"No, my boat is made of sacred wood and carved with protective symbols, Azarael was unable to touch it himself for some reason" Darius gave a self satisfied smirk. "I think it's pretty well handled, don't you?"

"We have to hurry" Farah whispered as the Prince lifted her into his arms. "I can sense them coming". Needing no more they ran towards the boat.

Black clad pirates leapt from the boats with cries for battle. "How delightful" Darius muttered as he drew his blade. He pivoted and flipped, performing a slash as he did he gutted a Pirate and then decapitated it. In that same move he removed the head of another and kicked a third pirate into the water.

Kaileena swung her blades elegantly, dancing around the four pirates, she stabbed out in opposite directions through the chests of two then swung them into each other, she twirled and scissored her blades to remove both heads. She somersaulted over the nearest man and stabbed a blade through his back, swinging him into his friend and running them both through in one swift move. "Here endeth the lesson" she hissed.

They thundered along the planks, Farah was barely conscious in the Prince's arms but they pressed on dealing with the occasional pirate by knocking him into the water.

Darius' ship stood stoically amongst the royal naval vessels. They leapt onto it… a sand pirate leapt at them – then seemed to hit a barrier and dispersed.

"Protected" Darius smiled. "Told you so"

"Yes, congratulations…it's time we left" Kaileena said. "Prince, where should we go?"

"Far out to see, hopefully we will not be followed" The Prince said. "But I believe that Azarael will follow us to the ends of the earth to be rid of us". He shuddered at the thought of the monster that was connected to him.

"Captain?"

Darius glanced over his shoulder at a man standing with a sword at the ready. "Yes it's me Kasham – these are friends of mine and we need to get out of here, quickly!"

"But captain" Kasham said as he scratched his beard. "They've blocked us in, the gates have been sealed by the – the – monsters". He pointed across the bay. Sure enough the huge wooden gates flanked by equally high walls were sealed shut. "None of us dare leave the boat sir, too dangerous"

He suddenly noticed Kaileena…or more particularly Kaileena's cleavage.

"Hello Miss" he murmured. "Welcome aboard"

Kaileena looked at him with a disgusted look reserved for perverts. Then turned away to address her comrades. "We must open the gates"

"Yes, yes of course we must" nodded the Prince as Darius led him to a cabin where Farah could sleep. "The gates are controlled by two levers in the towers they are linked to. We must pull them at the same time in order to open the gates"

"Then Darius must set sail, you and I will open the gates" Kaileena said.

The Prince stifled a comment about her not being in her kingdom and as such not being the Empress but he knew better then to reveal that fact about her. People had branded the Empress evil so it as best not to see if that had changed.

"All right" he said as he brushed a lock of hair off Farah's face.

Darius immediately gave orders to Kasham who scurried off, soon the boat was covered with human pirates hurrying to see to the running of the ship.

"Be quick, I'll start sailing, as soon as I can – you'll need to hurry to catch us" Darius warned. "Self preservation is my mantra"

"A good one to live by I suppose" The Prince nodded. "Very well, we'll make haste". He and Kaileena vaulted onto the docks and broke into a run. Kaileena checked the swords she held – with a satisfied nod she looked to the Prince who touched his amulet.

"Afraid?" she asked.

"For Farah" and that hurt Kaileena for some reason.

"Don't worry you can get back to carrying her as soon as we're done" she sighed. Kaileena then set her jaw in determination and continued to run. The Prince frowned, unsure of why she'd suddenly become more closed off then before.

They split at a fork in the docks. Kaileena raced to the gate dower. Two pirates stood in her way, she slowed time, slashed swiftly then kicked one into a wall where he dispersed, the snads gathered into her necklace as she cartwheeled over the other, grabbed him by the neck and twisted so it snapped.

Kaileena stepped on a button to open the door to the tower and strode in. More pirates flitted about, blocking the stairs. Kaileena looked up, a broken scaffold… she laughed and grabbed a horizontal pole, she flipped up the scaffolding, kicking off walls, spinning and vaulting until she landed on a top platform. A sand creature rushed her. She dodged aside, the blade nicked her side painfully but she subdued her pain and performed a spinning kick that knocked it into the vertical pole stretching up the centre of the tower – it stayed flattened against that for a moment before sliding back down.

"What pathetic creatures" she muttered. A Naval Sand Creature and a Pirate hurried up the steps, Kaileena leapt and grabbed the switch, pulling it down and then swinging, she kicked the two zombie creatures down the steps sending their cohorts to land in a pile at the foot of the steps or fall to their deaths. "I pray you have done your part prince" Kaileena whispered as she leapt out onto a balcony.

The Prince had dispatched the villains he encountered easily. He snatched a blade from one, decapiutated it with its own weapon and then hurled it into the head of a Naval Cadet. He raced up the steps. "I have to hurry" he breathed. "For Farah's sake!" with renewed determination he ascended the tower.

_**Suddenly a monster lurched from the shadows and shoved him off the steps. The Prince focused, the amulet glowed and…**_

Suddenly a monster lurched from the shadows; the Prince decapitated it swiftly and collected its sands. He bounded up the steps and leapt onto the central pillar, he climbed it with gritted teeth and then kicked off to grab the switch. There was a groan of gears and cogs as they creaked into action. "Yes!" The Prince laughed as he climbed out through a small doorway onto the balcony.

His face fell, Darius was sailing towards them. He looked around – the flash of crimson caught his eye. "KAILEENA!" he shouted.

"PRINCE! I AM GLAD YOU COULD MAKE IT" she laughed. And with that she leapt off the balcony. Her hands caught a pole jutting from the crows nest, she dropped onto the horizontal bars from the mast and slithered down the trunk.

The Prince followed suit. He landed on the crows nest however…from there he could see everything…including the black ship coming from the underground docks built into the cliff face…his fathers private vessel, it was fast and well armed.

"AZARAEL" The Prince shouted. "HE'S IN A ROYAL VESSEL"

Darius snapped some orders and activity was instantaneous, pirates hurled themselves into work with renewed zeal and determination, they wouldn't risk sinking or capture again – their answer was to escape and they'd not go down without a fight.

The boat sliced through the waters like a knife with Darius at the wheel. The Prince slid down the ladder and landed in a crouch. "I can sense many sand creatures on that vessel" Kaileena whispered. "My powers have diminished slightly but I can know that much! Azarael is on board along with Nadina… I have a plan but I need time."

"We can stay ahead of them, don't worry" the Prince said.

"I hope you are right" murmured The Empress.

* * *

Jafar roared orders at the men. Failure was not an option, if he failed he would be turned into sand or his consciousness would be taken and he'd become a mindless thing like those he commanded.

This pumped more energy into his shouts. The boat ahead was faster but it was against the wind while Nadina's sorcery filled the sails of the vessel they had chosen. He laughed. "Archers! To your positions! Load the grapples! Prepare to board once we're alongside!"

He touched his blade with anticipation, running his fingers along the blade, sand flecked his blood but the wounds soon healed…

* * *

Kaileena sat in the Lotus Position with her mind focused on the book she had once read. Murmuring the spells quickly under her breath – earning odd glances from the sailors – she let the sands gather and trickle from her fingertips, they wound around the spike that pointed the ship into a weapon like shape. The mermaid underneath that ramming point glowed…

The sands whirled around the boat, spreading out in a golden cloud that didn't touch the ship but formed a heavy wind. Kaileena opened her eyes. The waters were churned, flecked gold and glowing, by the spell cast sands. "By Rustam!" exclaimed Darius.

The Prince looked at Kaileena as the storm struck down on the ship behind them. The waves grew stormy. "Hang on!" Darius roared.

Kaileena rose as they sped through the waters, she hurried to the wheel to speak with the others, they had left Babylon far behind now but Jafar's ship was still just visible nearby…then it was gone.

"You can vanquish the storm now" shouted Prince.

Kaileena raised her hands and cast the ending spell…the water gave a violent jolt. Kaileena shrieked as she fell off the side into the still churning sea.

"Kaileena!" shouted The Prince. He rushed to dive in after her…Darius grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him back.

"Are you mad? That water will drown you!"

"I have to save her!" The Prince exclaimed. But Kaileena's form had vanished under the waves…

* * *

Kaileena opened her eyes…golden sands lay before her, she pushed her dried-sand matted hair off her face and discarded the seaweed strand she found. "Where am I?" she looked around.

A vast jungle and the sound of thundering water greeted her senses with the smell of fragrant flowers and taste of saltwater on her lips.

Kaileena checked for her blades but they were gone…she advanced on the jungle and plunged into the foliage.

* * *

**To Be continued: The Island of Waters**


	5. The Island of Waters

**Prince of Persia: Dark Destiny**

_**The Island of the Waters**_

Kaileena's eyes fluttered open. She felt sand under her hands, she gingerly sat up, her body ached but she lay on soft golden sand that felt like a mattress of dense down.

The chorus of birds under the high shining sun greeted her senses…the smell of the ocean allowing her to let out a contented sigh, feeling an alien peace she never would be able to fully grasp.

Standing up she advanced on the jungle, casting a glance back at the seas. "Which way?" she whispered, closing her eyes… the images flashed into her thoughts, voices whispered and hissed secrets in a language long forgotten by many.

She saw herself climbing some ledges, crossing a river, fighting off monkey monsters, swinging on a vine…standing before an incredible carved rock face…

The images faded and Kaileena strode towards the bushes. She paused as at them and turned back to the beach. Uttering words of arcane power that would have twisted her tongue tightly into tense knots without perfect phrasing… she raised her hands, the golden light in her palms mimicked the light striking the sands, a glowing golden haze rose into the air. It would stay for a while… long enough for rescue she hoped.

Kaileena advanced into the lush green forest, the wildlife bustled around her…she climbed onto a rock ridge and looked around. The old statue was crumbling – she'd not noticed she was climbing on it until she came to an angle that its features could be seen. "Curious…I've seen this before" she mused.

Déjà vu was not alien to her…but this was different. She had a sense that time was bent around it…calmly she walked on. Climbing the wrist using cracks as handholds she reached the palm and ran from it to leap onto a rock ledge. She edged slowly around it and then leapt up onto the next ledge above that…

Kaileena realized how unsuitable her gown was for the climbing, she ripped the longer side of the tattered scarlet material and wrapped it around her hips, one long side still fluttered at her hip but she ignored it for now.

She tore the sleeves and wrapped them around her upper arms in case she needed bandaging later. Finally she tied a bandana around her head to protect herself from the sun.

Now all she needed was a weapon… "My Kingdom for a weapon" she murmured. Slowly she walked along what looked like a destroyed stone staircase…as she reached an ivy littered white stone plateau she sensed something.

"I'm not alone…" she said. "Who's there?" she called. A skeleton in rags collapsed, it still clutched a heavy metal sword in its now separated fingers. "Oh very clever" she said coldly. "If you think that scares me…you are sorely mistaken… I am the Empress of Time and I've faced hundreds more deadly then you!"

The movement from the bust startled her. The creatures were crossed between monkeys and humans. They shrieked and charged. Kaileena vaulted to one side, she rolled, grasped the sword and swung. The monsters gazed at her wearily and attacked with somersaults and punches. Kaileena blocked with her blade and lashed out with a kick that sent one flying, she ran up a wall, flipped over and slashed down, the monster fell in two and transformed into water, evaporating and splashing away.

"Curious…composed of magic – and in such bad taste" she slashed the air in a downwards motion for emphasis.

A Monkey-Man leapt at her. Kaileena stepped backwards into a Crane stance, the monster landed and she stabbed forwards, impaling it. Like a dancer she moved, spins, cartwheels jumps and dives. Rolling and cart wheeling, slashing and parrying in an elegant dance of destruction. She swung on a branch, kicking the last monkey man away; flipping herself into the air she landed both feet on his chest, kicked off and swept her body around.

The sword cleaved the head from the body.

In the silence Kaileena looked at the drying puddle. She turned and walked along the vine littered pathway.

Rushing water greeted her ears as she approached a clearing. The waterfall's face was carved into a complicated mural of battles and prostrated bodies. It glowed in the light, rainbows rising around it as water flowed down it, bouncing off hands and swords and splashing down into the lake below, being moved onwards off the plateau or down a stream.

Kaileena looked into the depths of the pool, carvings existed there too, some were bejeweled as well…glowing with the water and sunlight around them they cast patterns across the water…the overall beauty beleaguered Kaileena somewhat. "Awesome" she breathed

The urge to climb reached her. Kaileena looked around, she spotted the hanging vine and leapt at it, swinging she flipped onto the hand of a mother cradling a baby. With supreme skill she ran along a smooth part of the rockspace and grabbed an outstretched lance, swinging on it she flew through the air and kicked off a palm that faced sideways out of the waterfall, grabbing a spear jutting from the rock Kaileena landed on the head of a stylized serpent and ran up its spine.

* * *

The Prince stared at the island as they approached. The golden haze had resonated with his amulet…Kaileena had to be there!

* * *

Kaileena claws her way into the passage, the water flowed clear and blue on either side of the glass walkway. Kaileena strode towards the crystal steps and climbed them, humming sounds resonated fromt hem.

The X shaped platform was over a deep dark pool of water and in the centre was a podium. Kaileena approached it, the sun streamed in from the hole above the podium, dousing it in a saffron glow.

"What have we here?" she murmured, Kaileena tossed the rusty weapon away and gripped the hilds of the scythe like swords with their sand-filled blades. There was a flash and a golden haze whipped up around her, lifting her off her feet. She gasped as her eyes glowed gold.

_Empress…Empress…Empress_

The voice rushed to Kaileena – she stood in a throne room, two seats of crystal and gold sat before her. On them lay swords…the two she held and the Water Sword of the Prince.

"Who's there?" she snapped.

_We are the Fates…Fates…We are the Fates…You are the Empress of Time…You should know the story…The story of The Avatars._

"What Avatars?"

_The Avatars of Life…Of Time…Of Destiny…_

"I don't have time for fairytales! I must find a way to destroy Azarael!"

_Kill the Prince…Kill the Prince and Azarael will be weakened enough…weakened enough to be killed_

The shadows of a young girl, middle aged woman and old lady shimmered in the sands for a brief second.

"No! I won't!"

_You were always ruthless…cunning and calculating…powerful and brutal…WHAT HAS CHANGED?_

"I was all those things because I believed I needed to…now I can control my OWN destiny"

_The Avatars were and will be sources of power…for eternity and longer…they can destroy Azarael._

"Where do I find them?"

_In a place beyond space and time…The Isle of Destiny where the Keeper of Destiny…the child of the Avatars, controls the wheel of destiny from the palace._

"The Isle of Destiny…yes…of course…but the charts I studied are back on my island fortress"

_Indeed…but they are here as well…take them and traverse the dangers_

The three voices finished each others sentences in variations of the same voice. The charts fluttered from the sands to Kaileena's hands through doors at the other end of the throne room.

_The Keeper will give you help…but be wary of fiends and the plague of the sands…Azarael seeks the island too_

"I must stop Azarael!" Kaileena exclaimed.

_Then you'll need this…this is a book of powerful magic…magic you can use._

The red and gold bound tome flew from the doorways of the throne room again. Kaileena caught it…there was a flash and the Fates echoed in her mind: _Farewell_

* * *

The Prince raced up the massive steps, they stretched from a stone pier on the beach all the way up the mountain… "Kaileena!" he shouted.

She appeared in the doorway and for a moment the sign of a smile appeared, but quickly she suppressed it. "I found it" she exclaimed.

"What?" The Prince said as she strode dwont eh steps to meet him.

"A way to destroy Azarael!"

"How?" The Prince asked slowly.

She held out the charts. "The Isle of Destiny – The Keeper's powers can help us… we must go there"

"But that journey is treacherous by legend"

Kaileena caught the prince with her hand around his cheeks and lifted him to her eyes. "We have no choice" she said.

The Prince nodded.

Nadina stared into her large hourglass, the ship of Darius cut swiftly throught he waters towards a dark island formation with a pass through it. "I will alert the Crone – she is an ally of ours" she said aloud. "No need to worry the master yet…" she shook the sands.

**_TO BE CONTINUED_**

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**_Sorry it took so long to update but I needed to feel inspired again...anyway review me baby!_**


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